Drivers cannot use Straight Mode during the Monaco Grand Prix. Overtake Mode will remain applicable, although it is questionable where you can use it on the street circuit where overtaking has traditionally been almost impossible. “Every straight has a corner, that’s really complicated,” says Jeroen Bleekemolen in the podcast Formule 1 Paddockpraat.
Read more Verstappen: ‘A lot still needs to happen for a win’
Where do you deploy that extra energy on a circuit where there is virtually no straight? Bleekemolen names the exit of the tunnel as the only realistic option, but even there, there’s a problem because the road surface is very bumpy, and you could lose control of the car.
Read more Charles Leclerc refuses favorite role in Monaco: ‘Mercedes the team to beat’
Another conceivable spot is the section from the chicane to the harbor, towards Tabac. Bleekemolen admits it’s relatively wide there, but he hesitates. “I would find it a shame if I suddenly saw someone else pass me there who simply has more energy.” And precisely that dilemma creates an interesting tactical thought: if everyone knows there’s only one place to overtake, then the leading driver knows that too. They will ensure they deploy their full battery there. The chance of a procession on Sunday has therefore not disappeared.
Read more Overtaking in Monaco just as difficult as before, predicts Verstappen
Read everything about the Monaco GP here
